CAT 2021 Exam - Date, Notification, Registration, Eligibility, Syllabus, Exam Pattern
About CAT 2021
Indian Institute of Management (IIM) will conduct the Common Admission Test (CAT) in an online computer-based mode. The IIM conducting body will begin CAT Registration 2021 from the first week of August 2021. CAT 2021 is going to be held on the last Sunday of November 2021 i.e. November 28, 2021 (Tentative). Candidates who want to take MBA admission in IIMs or other top B-schools have to appear in the CAT exam 2021. Candidates who completed graduation with 50% of marks are eligible to apply for IIM CAT 2021.
As per the new CAT 2021 pattern, students will have to answer a total of 76 questions within 2 hours. CAT 2021 number of questions are VARC - 26 questions, DILR - 24, and Quant - 26 questions making it 76 questions in all. As per last year, we expect more than 2.28 lakh students will register for CAT 2021. CAT 2021 will be conducted by the Indian Institute of Management in 430 centres across 159 cities in the country for admissions to MBA/PGDM programmes in IIMs and more than 1000 B-Schools of the country.
What is CAT Exam 2021?
CAT exam is one of the most popular MBA entrance exams in the country. The full form of CAT is the Common Admission Test and it is a computer-based entrance exam for MBA/PGDM admissions at 20 IIMs and 1000+ B-Schools in India. IIM CAT is conducted by one IIM in rotation every year. Candidates are assessed through the CAT exam for MBA admissions. More than 2 lakh applicants every year register for CAT for IIM admissions.
Official CAT 2021 Contact Details
- Official CAT exam website: iimcat.ac.in
- CAT 2021 Helpline: 1-800-209-0830 (Toll-Free)
- Email for CAT exam: cat2021@iimidr.ac.in
- IIM Indore Address: CAT Exam Centre, Indian Institute of Management Indore, Prabandh Shikhar, Rau - Pithampur Road, Indore- 453556, Madhya Pradesh, India.
CAT 2021 Highlights
Full Exam Name | Common Admission Test |
Short Exam Name | CAT |
Conducting Body | Indian Institute of Management Indore |
Frequency of Conduct | Once a year |
Exam Level | National Level Exam |
Languages | English |
Mode of Application | Online |
Application Fee (General) | 2000 Rs [Online] |
Mode of Exam | Online |
Mode of Counselling | Offline |
Participating Colleges | 1141 |
Exam Duration | 2 Hours |
Latest Announcements
CAT 2021 - Exam Date, Registration, Syllabus, Eligibility, Application Process
CAT 2021 - IIM will conduct the Common Admission Test (CAT) 20...
Baby IIMs - Know All About Fee Structure, Seats, Courses And Placements
Baby/New IIMs - Know all about the new IIMs like fee structure...
CAT 2021 Important Dates
Upcoming Dates and Events
25 Jul, 2021 (Tentative)
Advertisement - Notice | Mode: Online
02 Aug, 2021 - 20 Sep, 2021 (Tentative)
Application - Start Date | Mode: Online
24 Sep, 2021 - 27 Sep, 2021 (Tentative)
Application Correction - Start Date | Mode: Online
15 Oct, 2021 - 28 Nov, 2021 (Tentative)
Mock Test | Mode: Online
25 Oct, 2021 - 28 Nov, 2021 (Tentative)
Admit Card - Start Date | Mode: Online
28 Nov, 2021 (Tentative)
Exam - Exam Date | Mode: Online
06 Dec, 2021 - 10 Dec, 2021 (Tentative)
Answer Key - Response Sheet | Mode: Online
01 Jan, 2022 (Tentative)
Result - Result Date | Mode: Online
IIM will release the CAT eligibility in PDF format outlining who can apply for the CAT entrance exam. Prior to CAT 2021 registration, candidates must ensure they fulfill the specified eligibility criteria of CAT exam 2021.
Who can apply for the CAT exam 2021?
Candidates who fulfill the given CAT 2021 eligibility criteria specified below can apply for the CAT exam.
- Educational Qualification: All candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from any recognized university/ institute.
- Marks in qualifying exam: All candidates must have secured a minimum of 50% marks or equivalent CGPA. Candidates belonging to the reserved category (Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Persons with Disability (PWD)), must have secured a minimum of 45%.
- Final year students: Candidates in the final year of their Bachelor’s degree/equivalent qualification exam or awaiting their graduation results can apply for CAT 2021.
- Age Limit: To appear for the CAT entrance exam there is no age limit/ age restriction.
- Work Experience: It is not mandatory to apply for the CAT exam 2021. If candidates have any experience, then they will get more preference.
Note: CAT eligibility for IIM Admission 2021-2023 is separate from exam eligibility.
Mode of Application : Online
Mode of Payment : Net Banking | Credit Card | Debit Card | NEFT | Paytm | Other
IIM will start the CAT application form correction facility in the last week of September 2021, that allowed candidates to correct and edit their photo, signature or the preferences of test cities entered earlier during registration. CAT Registration Form Edit Window will open in the last week of September 2021. As per last year's trends, we expect more than 2.28 lakh students will apply for the CAT 2021 entrance exam. CAT 2021 registration window will be available from the first week of August 2021 to the last week of September 2021.
CAT 2021 Application Process
Step 1- CAT 2021 Registration
Step 2- Fill in necessary details
Step 3- Payment of exam fee
On successful registration for the CAT exam, candidates will receive a CAT login credential like User ID and Password which can be used in the future to use the candidate login.
CAT 2021 Application Fee- Rs 2,000 (general category), Rs 1,000 (reserved category) payable through Debit/ Credit card/ Net banking/ BillDesk/ PayU/ Paytm.
Documents to upload during CAT registration 2021
- Photograph as specified
- Signature as per given specific guidelines
- Academic certificates
- PwD certificate as applicable (if any)
- EWS/Category Certificate as applicable (if any)
- Identification document
Application Fees
Category | Quota | Mode | Gender | Amount |
---|---|---|---|---|
ST, OBC, SC | PWD | Online | Female, Male, Transgender | ₹ 1000 |
General | Online | Female, Male, Transgender | ₹ 2000 |
Student Appearing Vs Seat Available
Year | Student Appeared | Seats Available |
---|---|---|
2020 | None | None |
2019 | 209926 | None |
2018 | 209405 | None |
CAT 2021 Syllabus
Verbal ability and reading comprehension
Data interpretation and logical reasoning
Quantitative ability
One needs grit, determination, planning, and execution to clear the CAT exam. The tough part is to clear CAT 2021 with a very high percentile for IIM admissions. Even very good Bschools require a good CAT percentile and this can be achieved with proper preparation.
How to prepare for CAT 2021 exam?
Candidates will have to divide their CAT preparation strategy into manageable sections. When to start preparation for CAT 2021, how to go about it, what is the CAT syllabus, best books for CAT exam etc are some important questions that have to be addressed.
CAT Exam Preparation Timetable
CAT 2021: When and how to start preparation | How to prepare for CAT without coaching |
CAT - Tricks for Quant, DI&LR, VRC by 99 percentilers | CAT 2021 Preparation Time Table |
Preparation for CAT 2021 exam requires proper resources and solid help from experts. Given below are CAT expert tips as well as links to CAT exam resources.
CAT 2021 exam preparation- list of resources
CAT toppers are ideal people to explain their CAT exam strategy as they not only have cleared the exam but have done so in flying colours. Given below are some CAT Topper tips and guidelines
CAT Topper Tips
How to score 100 percentile in CAT 2021 | How Toppers prepared for CAT |
Know CAT Toppers | How Many Questions to Attempt in CAT 2021 to Get 99 Percentile |
CAT exam day 2021 will be a crucial day. Check common mistakes and errors that are made in CAT entrance exam and how to avoid them in CAT 2021.
Know CAT exam day strategies
The new CAT exam pattern has key changes like a shorter exam duration (2 hours), less number of questions, shorter sectional time, etc. IIM announced the new exam pattern of CAT 2021 along with an important change. As per last year, the CAT entrance exam will be held in three sessions on November 28 (tentatively). CAT exam questions will be a mix of MCQ and Non-MCQ.
CAT syllabus has remained the same with questions from VARC, DILR, and QA. The detailed CAT exam pattern with marking scheme and other information is as follows.
New Exam Pattern of CAT 2021
Medium of CAT Exam | English |
Duration | 2 hours |
CAT Exam Mode | Digital or Computer Based Test (CBT) |
Sections in CAT 2021 | Section 1: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) Section 2: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) Section 3: Quantitative Ability (QA) |
Questions in each | VARC- 26 questions DILR - 24 questions Quant - 26 questions |
Time Limit per section | 40 minutes 53 minutes and 20 seconds for PwD candidates |
Negative Marking | For MCQ questions: -1 Mark. For Non- MCQ questions: NO Negative marks |
Virtual Key Board for | Non MCQ questions |
Mouse for | MCQ questions in CAT 2021 |
Virtual Calculator | Yes. Candidates to use this for all calculations |
CAT entrance exam - Important features
1. Calculator in CAT exam
2. CAT exam Timer
3. Question Palette of CAT 2021
4. Expand the CAT question area
5. Scrolling during CAT entrance exam-
6. Answering a question in CAT 2021
7. Changing the response in CAT exam
8. Navigating through CAT sections
9. Zoom Option in CAT 2021
Check the test features of CAT 2021 in the image below
*Source: CAT 2021 official mock test guide
IIM will release the mock test of CAT 2021 in the first week of November 2021 on the official CAT website iimcat.ac.in. CAT mock test is a replica of the actual examination. CAT 2021 mock test has sectional timing like the official CAT entrance exam.
Steps to use CAT Mock Test
1. Click on Mock Test Link from the CAT 2021 official website
2. "Enter your Registration Number and password and click on Sign In” – Since a dummy registration number and a dummy password have already been embedded. Candidates can proceed by just clicking on Sign In.
3. Post login, read through the “General Instructions for Candidate”
4. Click on the disclaimer check box on “Other Important Instructions for Candidate:” page
5. Click on “I am ready to begin” to start your Mock Test
CAT Exam Mock test Links of past years
Year | CAT Mock Test Link |
2021 | Available Soon |
2020 | Click here / Link for PwD candidates (low vision) |
2019 | Click here |
2018 | Test 1 and Test 2 |
2017 | Click here |
2016 | Test 1 and Test 2; Also Test 3 |
CAT 2021 - Preparation Tips
In addition, CAT syllabus is important. Candidates must know what topics and subjects to study and be ready for CAT 2021. IIMs have not specified any special CAT syllabus but have given sections in which students will be tested. The CAT syllabus 2021 given by all coaching centres and books are all based on the past CAT exam papers.
IIM will release the admit card of CAT 2021 in the last week of October 2021. The last date to download CAT admit card 2021 on the official website will be November 28 (tentatively). CAT 2021 admit card can be availed after entering the CAT login ID and password. CAT admit card mentions a name, date of birth, registration number, category, CAT entrance exam day instructions, CAT 2021 exam date and time, reference number, emergency contact number, google map link along with displaying the candidate's photograph.
Note: All candidate's primary reference identities will be through their CAT 2021 application number printed on the CAT Admit Card. This application number is used to identify the exam lab/console at the exam centre on the CAT Exam Day.
Steps to download CAT 2021 admit card
Step 1 - Go to the CAT 2021 site -iimcat.ac.in.
Step 2 - Login using CAT exam credentials like user ID and password
Step 3 - The CAT admit card will be displayed
Step 4 - Download the same and check the details mentioned therein.
Step 5 - Keep a soft copy of the admit card for CAT 2021 saved for future references.
CAT 2021 Admit Card - Details
- Name
- Application Number of CAT exam
- PwD status
- CAT 2021 exam date
- CAT exam time and session
- Reporting/ entry time for CAT 2021 at exam centre
- Gate closing time for CAT exam
- CAT 2021 test city name
- Test Center address
Also know CAT 2021 Dress Code
CAT Exam Schedule
CAT exam | Reporting Time | Candidates not allowed | CAT exam Timings |
Forenoon Session | 7.00 am | Post 8.15 am | 8.30 am to 10.30 am |
Afternoon Session | 11.00 am | Post 12.15 pm | 12.30 pm to 02.30 pm |
Evening Session | 03.00 pm | Post 4.15 pm | 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm |
Check CAT test day guidelines pdf released by IIM Indore.
Steps to be taken by candidates for CAT 2021
1. Frisking of Candidates prior to entry for the CAT exam.
2. Document Verification:
- CAT Admit Card (with affixed photograph),
- One original valid photo identity proof (such as College ID, Employer ID, Driving License, Passport, PAN Card, Voter ID, Aadhar Card, and Identification Affidavit)
- Other documents like a medical certificate in case of a candidate using a Pacemaker or implants (metal) or other devices for medical reasons.
**Test Day Exception Forms/ Authorization Form
3. Move to CAT exam lab
Imp: Candidates would be advised to remove their footwear outside the Exam Lab.
4. Registration Process for CAT 2021 (Capturing IRIS and photo)
5. Sign the attendance sheet in the CAT exam hall and begin the exam at the scheduled time.
CAT 2021 Exception and Authorization Form
- CAT Exam Exception Form: Candidates will have to sign the Exception form in case of an exceptional situation arising on CAT exam day. The staff at the test centres will guide students in such a case.
- IIM provided Authorization Form for CAT 2021: This is a document that is required in case candidates have to carry any prohibited or exceptional items inside the exam hall of CAT 2021 on account of medical reasons.Candidates would be required to contact the respective CAT exam centre to get such authorization if any.
Things/ Documents to carry to the CAT exam centre
Candidates will be allowed to carry the following documents
- CAT 2021 admit card
- Original valid photo identity card
- Mask
- Sanitizer (50 ml)
- Transparent water bottle
- Requisite medical certificate and Scribe affidavit (if applicable).
CAT 2021 dress code: Socks, plain Pullovers/Sweaters/Cardigans (without any pockets) can be worn for CAT exam. Candidates with metal implants, pacemakers, etc. in their body have to submit a supporting medical certificate.
Important: Since there will be no arrangement to safekeep the belongings of the candidates appearing for CAT 2021, it is advisable for aspirants to not carry valuables keeping this in mind.
Points to keep in mind during CAT exam
- Once candidates start answering a section, the clock inbuilt in the system starts ticking and displays the remaining time available for the current section.
- After 40 minutes, the timer becomes 0 and the current section gets auto-submitted.
- Candidates automatically move to the next section and the cycle repeats for all three sections of CAT 2021.
- Movement between sections is not allowed. However, candidates will have an option for submitting the answers to a section at any point of time after the completion of the allotted 40 minutes.
- There is a built in calculator in CAT entrance exam. To know more, check "How to Utilize Calculator in CAT 2021?"
Candidates can leave the CAT exam hall only after the completion of 2 hours (120 minutes). PWD candidates will be given 160 minutes to complete the CAT exam paper.
Click here for last-minute CAT instructions by IIM Indore
CAT 2021 - Key Do's for Candidates
- Print CAT admit card on A4 size paper
- Before reaching the CAT exam centre, make sure you have admit card in hard copy and original ID proof
- Use the google map link (embedded on e-admit card) to locate the CAT exam centre 2021
- Candidates must affix photograph in the space provided on CAT admit card
- They must use the mouse to answer CAT MCQ questions and use the on-screen keyboard to answer TITA questions in CAT 2021
- They have to return the writing pad after completing their CAT exam
- The admit card must be handed to invigilator once the CAT entrance exam is over
Don'ts for Candidates for CAT exam
- Do not carry any prohibited items inside the CAT 2021 exam centre
- Avoid copying/cheating during CAT exam
- Keep a distance from fellow candidates/staff. Keep conversations to a minimum.
- Avoid using the keyboard in CAT exam as this will lock the computer system
- Unless its a medical emergency, avoid going for a bio-break in between CAT 2021.
- Do not waste writing pad provided or take away pages after completion of CAT exam.
CAT 2021 Exam Centers
State | City |
---|---|
Delhi | New Delhi |
Delhi | |
West Bengal | Kolkata |
Asansol | |
Bankura | |
Burdwan | |
Durgapur | |
Hooghly | |
Kalyani | |
Siliguri | |
Tamil Nadu | Chennai |
Coimbatore | |
Madurai | |
Salem | |
Tirunelveli | |
Tiruchirappalli | |
Vellore | |
Kerala | Kannur |
Ernakulam | |
Kollam | |
Kottayam | |
Kozhikode | |
Thrissur | |
Thiruvananthapuram | |
Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Port Blair |
Andhra Pradesh | Guntur |
Kakinada | |
Kurnool | |
Nellore | |
Rajahmundry | |
Tirupati | |
Vijayawada | |
Visakhapatnam | |
Vizianagaram | |
Assam | Dibrugarh |
Guwahati | |
Jorhat | |
Silchar | |
Tezpur | |
Bihar | Aurangabad |
Arrah | |
Bhagalpur | |
Darbhanga | |
Muzaffarpur | |
Patna | |
Chandigarh | Chandigarh |
Chhattisgarh | Bhilai |
Bilaspur | |
Raipur | |
Gujarat | Ahmedabad |
Anand | |
Gandhinagar | |
Mehsana | |
Rajkot | |
Surat | |
Vadodara | |
Haryana | Ambala |
Hisar | |
Karnal | |
Kurukshetra | |
Panipat | |
Rohtak | |
Gurgaon | |
Faridabad | |
Himachal Pradesh | Shimla |
Jammu and Kashmir | Jammu |
Jharkhand | Bokaro |
Dhanbad | |
Hazaribagh | |
Jamshedpur | |
Ranchi | |
Karnataka | Belagavi |
Bengaluru | |
Dharwad | |
Hubballi | |
Kalaburagi | |
Mangaluru | |
Mysuru | |
Shivamogga | |
Udupi | |
Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal |
Gwalior | |
Indore | |
Jabalpur | |
Sagar | |
Satna | |
Ujjain | |
Maharashtra | Amravati |
Ahmednagar | |
Aurangabad | |
Jalgaon | |
Mumbai | |
Kolhapur | |
Nagpur | |
Nanded | |
Nashik | |
Pune | |
Raigad | |
Satara | |
Solapur | |
Ulhasnagar | |
Thane | |
Palghar | |
Navi Mumbai | |
Vasai | |
Meghalaya | Shillong |
Mizoram | Aizawl |
Nagaland | Kohima |
Odisha | Balasore |
Berhampur | |
Bhubaneswar | |
Cuttack | |
Dhenkanal | |
Rourkela | |
Sambalpur | |
Puducherry | Puducherry |
Punjab | Amritsar |
Jalandhar | |
Ludhiana | |
Mohali | |
Pathankot | |
Patiala | |
Sangrur | |
Bathinda | |
Rajasthan | Ajmer |
Alwar | |
Bikaner | |
Jaipur | |
Jodhpur | |
Kota | |
Sikar | |
Udaipur | |
Telangana | Hyderabad |
Karimnagar | |
Warangal | |
Uttar Pradesh | Agra |
Aligarh | |
Allahabad | |
Bareilly | |
Gorakhpur | |
Jhansi | |
Kanpur | |
Lucknow | |
Meerut | |
Moradabad | |
Muzaffarnagar | |
Varanasi | |
Ghaziabad | |
Noida | |
Greater Noida | |
Uttarakhand | Dehradun |
Haldwani | |
Roorkee | |
Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar |
Goa | Panaji |
Documents Required at Exam
- CAT admit card
- Photo ID
IIM will release the final CAT 2021 answer key in the last week of December 2021 in online mode. Before that, the exam conducting body will release the provisional answer key in the first week of December 2021 along with the candidate's response sheets and CAT 2021 question papers. Candidates will have the choice to raise an objection to the answer key till the end of the objection date on payment of a fee of Rs. 1,200. Since the correct answers have been mentioned in the CAT answer key, candidates can use the same to calculate their probable scores and estimate their admission chances.
CAT exam will be conducted tentatively on November 28, 2021. Many coaching institutes like CL, IMS, TIME, etc will come up with the CAT answer key using memory-based questions as the test is online.
CAT 2021 Answer Key
Slots | Link |
1st Slot | Download Here |
2nd Slot | |
3rd Slot |
How to calculate CAT Scores?
Score obtained = 3 x number of correct answers (MCQ and Non MCQ) - 1 x number of incorrect MCQ answers.
The CAT scores will be normalized as per the methodology announced by IIM Indore in light of the changes in the duration of the exam and other parameters. The details are available on this page in the result section.
CAT exam analysis for slots 1 and 2 will be available after the CAT 2021 exam over. CAT 2021 number of questions is 26 from VARC, 24 from DILR, and 26 from Quant. The CAT slot 1 paper is expected to be moderate to difficult. CAT 2021 slot 2 paper will be expected to be moderately difficult. CAT question paper 2021 will be much of a surprise compared to last year and students who will appear for slot 1 as well as slot 2 of CAT 2021 feel that they could score well with a bit of good preparation.
Candidates who are likely to score 105-110 marks in CAT 2021 will be able to secure around 99 percentile as per Career Launcher.
Check CAT Analysis - Student Reactions live from exam centres to know the CAT 2021 question papers, difficulty levels, topics, and more.
Most found the CAT 2021 pattern to be the same except for the duration and the reduction in the number of questions. Students have also given mixed reactions to the new CAT 2021 exam pattern. TITA questions have been found easy and so were the questions in the DILR section. English was found to be tricky. Overall the paper was moderate to difficult.
CAT analysis from CL, MIS, TIME, and other coaching experts is available for all slots of the CAT exam. CAT analysis gives details of the difficulty levels of the CAT exam and expected cutoff. The CAT 2021 analysis from coaching centres can be checked by clicking on the link given below in the table.
CAT 2021 Exam Analysis from Coaching Centres
Details in CAT exam analysis are:
- A number of questions in each section in the CAT question paper.
- Number of MCQs and number of non- MCQs asked in CAT 2021
- Difficulty levels for all topics and CAT exam sections
- Topics from VARC, DILR and QA with weightage
- Expected cutoff based on the difficulty levels and the time available
The result of CAT 2021 will be released in online mode in the first week of January 2021. Candidates have to log in to the official website to download their CAT 2021 scorecard. They must download their CAT scorecard 2021 as all admissions are on the basis of the CAT result 2021. On the basis of the CAT 2021 result, a merit list will be prepared for further IIM MBA admissions 2021.
How to check CAT result 2021
1st Step - Open the official website - iimcat.ac.in
2nd Step - Enter registration details like User ID and Password
3rd Step - CAT Result/ Score Card will be displayed.
4th Step - Download the same and save it.
5th Step - Check the details given in the result of CAT 2021
What details are mentioned in the CAT exam result 2021?
The sectional and overall scores of CAT 2021 will be mentioned in the result/ scorecard. The exam percentile obtained by candidates in the CAT exam is also be mentioned.
CAT score vs percentile - one of the major questions asked by students is about the score versus percentile in CAT 2021. IIM Indore has released the computation of the CAT Scores and normalization methodology adopted. The process is as follows
How to calculate CAT percentile scores?
The steps to calculate the CAT exam 2021 overall and sectional percentile scores are given. Here the QA section is chosen as an example. A similar process is also followed for DILR and VARC in the exam.
Step 1: Calculate the total number of candidates (N) who appeared for CAT (i.e. including morning, afternoon, and evening sessions).
Step 2: Assign a rank (r), based on the scaled scores obtained in the QA section, to all candidates who appeared for the CAT exam. In the case of two or more candidates obtaining identical scaled scores in the QA section, identical ranks are assigned to all such candidates.
For example, if two candidates obtain the highest scaled score in the QA section, then both of those candidates are assigned a rank of 1. Then, candidate(s) obtaining the second-highest scaled score in the QA section will be assigned a rank of 3 and so on.
Step 3: Calculate the percentile score (P) of a candidate with rank (r) in the QA section as:
Step 4: Round off the calculated percentile score (P) of a candidate up to two decimal points.
For example, all percentile scores greater than or equal to 99.995 are rounded off to 100, all percentile scores greater than or equal to 99.985 but strictly less than 99.995 are rounded off to 99.99, and so on.
How to calculate the CAT scaled scores of a candidate?
The following steps will be followed to calculate the scaled score of a candidate in each of the three sections, i.e. VARC, DILR, and QA in the examination. The overall scaled score is obtained by adding scaled scores of these three sections.
QA section is chosen as an example. A similar process is valid for the DILR and VARC. Three sessions of the examination will be expressed as a morning session (8:30 AM – 10:30 AM), afternoon session (12:30 PM – 2:30 PM), and evening session (4:30 PM – 6:30 PM), on November 28, 2021 (tentative).
One of the big questions asked by many students is what are the CAT cutoff marks for admissions? The CAT 2021 cutoff marks which are minimum marks or percentile required to secure admissions differ from IIM to IIM as well as the course and category of the students.
Check CAT Cutoff (expected) by leading Coaching centres
CAT Cutoff by T.I.M.E | CAT 2021 Cutoff by Career Launcher |
CAT 2021 Cutoff by Bulls Eye | CAT 2021 Cutoff by VistaMind |
CAT 2021 Cutoff by IMS Learning |
It is to be noted that cutoff for qualifying and admissions are two different things. The qualifying cutoff is the score that decides if a candidate has cleared the exam or not. The admission cutoff of CAT is the score at which the admissions closed last.
It has to be noted that only qualified students will be able to participate in the selection process - IIM Admissions, CAP 2021, the IIT MBA admissions or other MBA admissions in the country.
Some factors that decide CAT cutoff are
- No. of Candidates taking the test
- Difficulty Level of exam
- Availability of seats
- IIMs and other institutes ranking
CAT Cutoff of Top IIMs
CAT Cutoff of Top Institutes
Name of institute | CAT Cutoff Percentile |
SPJIMR Cutoff | 85 |
MDI Gurgaon Cutoff | 93 to 95 |
XIMB Cutoff | 91 |
IMI Delhi Cutoff | 90 |
XISS Ranchi Cutoff | 58 |
TAPMI Cutoff | 85 |
JBIMS Mumbai Cutoff | 93 + |
XIME Bangalore Cutoff | 75 |
IMT Nagpur Cutoff | 80 |
FMS BHU Cutoff | 85 |
CAT 2021 Selection Process
IIMs and other CAT 2021 participating management institutes will conduct the selection procedure of the exam in two-steps. Candidates who qualify in CAT 2021, will be called out for the second step. After releasing the cutoff of CAT 2021, eligible candidates will be called for Group Discussion (GD), Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) round. On the basis of scores received by candidates, the final selection list will be issued.
Also read - Know IIM Fee Structure and Seat Intake
Some of the new IIMs may hold a common counselling for CAT 2021. This is held as Common Admission Process also called as CAP. Details of IIM CAP through CAT exam will be announced shortly and will be updated here too.
After CAT 2021 - Know IIM Fee Structure
Name of IIM | Fee payable * |
IIM Ahmedabad | Rs 28,00,000 |
IIM Amritsar | Rs. 10,50,000 |
IIM Bangalore | Rs. 23,00,000 |
IIM Bodh Gaya | Rs 10,60,000 |
IIM Calcutta | Rs. 27,00,000 |
IIM Indore | Rs. 16,00,000 |
IIM Jammu | Rs. 13,80,000 |
IIM Kashipur | Rs. 7,31,500 |
IIM Kozhikode | Rs. 17,50,000 |
IIM Lucknow | Rs. 19,25,000 |
IIM Nagpur | Rs 13,75,000 |
IIM Raipur | Rs. 14,20,400 |
IIM Ranchi | Rs. 15,30,000 |
IIM Rohtak | Rs. 15,20,000 |
IIM Sambalpur | Rs. 13,03,000 |
IIM Shillong | Rs.14,60,000 |
IIM Sirmaur | Rs 11,75,000 |
IIM Trichy | Rs. 14,00,000 |
IIM Udaipur | Rs. 13,00,000 |
IIM Visakhapatnam | Rs 10,50,000 |
* Fee may change.
Other Top BSchools accepting CAT scores
Name of Bschool | Fee in Rs. | NIRF Rank |
VGSOM IIT Kharagpur | 11,59,760 | 5 |
DMS, IIT, Delhi | 9,60,000 | 8 |
Management Development Institute | 25,00,000 | 10 |
SJMSOM IIT Bombay | 9,90,400 | 11 |
IIT Roorkee | 9,41,000 | 12 |
NITIE | 14,63,000 | 12 |
SPJIMR | 17,50,000 | 18 |
Great Lakes Institute of Management | 1715000 | 23 |
IBS Hyderabad | 14,00,000 | 25 |
TAPMI | 18,30,000 | 27 |
Institute of Management Technology | 17,50,000 | 37 |
FORE School of Management | 15,98,000 | 43 |
Is CAT exam only for MBA?
While it is common perception to assume that CAT exam is only for MBA, it is also for admissions to other post graduate programmes. MICA uses CAT scores for admissions to its post graduate programmes. So CAT exam is not just for MBA programmes.
What is the benefit of CAT exam?
CAT entrance exam scores are used by many institutes and universities for admissions to their management programmes. The benefit of appearing for CAT 2021 is that one can apply to leading BSchools other than IIM on the basis of the CAT result. It is easier to use CAT entrance exam as a screening test to shortlist candidates before the selection stage where the GD and PI factors play a role.
Documents Required at Counselling
- 10th, 12th, graduation, and professional (if applicable) mark sheets
- 10th, 12th, graduation, and professional (if available) degree certificates
- Proof of date of birth
- Caste certificate (if applicable)
- Admission letter
- CAT admit card
- Address proof of parents
- Passport size photographs (colour/black & white)
- Others
General Information
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Question: When will the CAT 2021 notification release?
Answer:
The notification for CAT 2021 will be released in the first week of August 2021
Question: What is the CAT exam date?
Answer:
CAT 2021 exam date will be tentatively on November 28, 2021. The exam will be held in three sessions.
Question: Where can I get CAT syllabus 2021?
Answer:
IIMs will not provide any CAT 2021 syllabus officially nor is the syllabus pdf given on the official website. Indications of what sections and subjects to prepare for the MBA entrance exam is given on the official website.
Question: Where can I get the IIM Cutoff?
Answer:
The IIM cutoff for CAT for the academic session 2021-2023 is given by all the IIMs on their official websites.
Question: What is CAT syllabus pattern?
Answer:
IIM will specify that the CAT syllabus pattern consists of three sections - Reading comprehension and verbal ability, Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning Questions are of the graduation level.
Question: Does CAT exam pattern like no of RC questions vary from year to year?
Answer:
No. From last year onwards, CAT 2021 has seen new changes on account of COVID-19. CAT pattern in 2021 will have 26 questions from VARC, 24 from DILR and 26 questions from QA. Students will have to answer a total of 76 questions in 2 hours.
Question: What should I do if I am not able to renew or get a new category certificate owing to the prevailing CORONA pandemic?
Answer:
In such a case, candidates should fill an undertaking which is printed or handwritten along with the old category certificates in the form of a pdf and upload the same. However, if the candidate receives a call for interview then in such a case, he or she will be required to produce original documents for verification.
Question: What is the marking scheme for the CAT 2021 exam?
Answer:
For every question that will be answered correctly by the candidate in the exam, he or she will be awarded 3 marks while -1 will be deducted if the candidate answers the question incorrectly. He or she will not lose any marks if they do not answer any question. Non MCQ questions do not have negative marking.
Question: Who are eligible for CAT?
Answer:
Any graduate with 50% in their graduation (45% for SC/ST/ PwD) are eligible to appear for the exam.
Question: Will CAT 2021 exam be postponed?
Answer:
CAT 2021 will be held as announced on November 28 (tentatively). CAT exam in 2021 will not be postponed due to any reasons.
Question: Is CAT necessary for MBA admissions?
Answer:
No. While CAT is one of the most popular MBA entrance exams, there are others that can be taken for admissions to MBA like XAT, IIFT, SET etc in addition to state MBA entrance exams too.
Question: When will CAT admit card release?
Answer:
CAT admit card will be released in the last week of October 2021.
Question: When will the CAT 2021 answer key be released?
Answer:
The provisional answer key of CAT will be released in the second week of December 2021. The final answer key will be released in the last week of December 2021.
Question: What will be the next stage after the release of CAT cutoff 2021?
Answer:
The qualified candidates will be invited by respective IIMs for Group Discussion (GD) / Written Ability Test (WAT) / Personal Interview (PI) rounds.
Question: Will the candidates get an option to challenge the answer key?
Answer:
Candidates will submit objections against the answer key till the second week of December 2021 by remitting the necessary fee.
Question: When will CAT 2021 result be announced?
Answer:
CAT exam 2021 result will be announced by IIM in online mode in the first week of January 2021
Questions related to CAT
I got 73.75 percentile in CAT 2020. What colleges can I apply with this cutoff ? I belong to NC-OBC Category and these are my sectional cutoffs VARC - 81.01 DILR - 53.21 QA - 72.51 Got 94 % in 10 & 12 Scored 7.9 CGPA in Engineering
Hi
Getting a call from a B- School depends upon a number of factors like your percentile score in CAT and academic profile i. e.percentage of marks obtained by you in class 10th, 12th and graduation, work experience.
With your overall 73.75 percentile in CAT you have chances in following B schools which are listed below :-
* Lovely Professional University, Phagwara
*Shiv Nadar University, Dadri
*Xavier Institute of Social Service, Ranchi
*VIT Business School, Vellore
*Apeejay School of Management, New Delhi
*Institute of Management Development and Research, Pune
*Chandigarh University, Chandigarh
*Acharya Bangalore Business School, Bangalore
*Fortune Institute of International Business, New Delhi
*MS Ramaiah Institute of Management, Bangalore
*Pondicherry University, Pondicherry
For details you can checkout our page, the link for the same is provided below.
https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/what-are-my-mba-admission-chances-70-80-percentile-in-cat
After getting a call , one has to go through WAT/GD/PI , and then he/she is finally selected for admission on the basis of performance in these rounds , percentile score in CAT, academic profile and work experience.
To get the list of colleges that you can get call from for your MBA, you can use CAT call predictor, the link for the same is provided below
https://bschool.careers360.com/pathfinder/cat
It will let you know the colleges from which you have chance to get a call for PGDM or MBA based on your category, your percentile score in CAT examination and your academic profile .
If you have any other doubt then feel free to ask them :) we are always here to help you out and guide you
Thank you
Can i get admission in iims with a 50% in cat being a scheduled tribe student?
Dear aspirant,
According to your question and your percentile in cat there are no chances that you would be called by the top IIMS because the cut offs are higher than 50 percentile.
Generally top IIMS keep their minimum criteria of 60 percentile. Maybe you can get some new iims like ranchi,vishakapatnam in which minimum cut off required for sc category is 50 percentile but that the chances are less.
I dont have much money,and I want to do mba in 2021 ,have given cat in which I got 20 percentile, what should I do ?
Hi Dear,
If you are looking for a MBA from colleges having low fees, then you have following few options left:
- Benaras Hindu University , FOC
- Shree Ram College of Commerce, Global Business operations
- Tata Institute of Social Science
- Galgotia University
- Lovely professional university
- Colleges under CET MMS
Other good mba colleges having low fees take admission on the basis of CAT percentile. You can also, choose to give CAT again next year with better preparation. or try for above colleges, which conducts their own exam apart from CAT
Which coaching is best for CAT preparation? Which is the best mode online or offline?
Hello Aspirant,
Common Admission Test, in short CAT is conducted by IIM Indore every year for admissions to different B-Schools across the country. The paper is of total 228 marks and it will consists of 76 total number of questions divided in three sections namely VARC, DILR and QA. Out of these 76 questions, 54 question will be of MCQ type and other 22 will be Non-MCQ. For every correct answer 3 marks will be awarded and on incorrect answer -1 will be deducted only from MCQs not from Non-MCQs. For complete exam pattern(latest) of CAT kindly check out the link given below :-
https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/cat-exam-pattern
There are various coaching institutions in India for preparation of CAT like TIME, Bull's Eye, Chandigarh; PT Education, New Delhi and so on but the self determination and hard work is necessary if you really want to get good result in CAT whether you enroll in any coaching centre or not because there are various toppers who have cleared CAT successfully without any CAT coaching but they just followed the right path of preparation.
So let us discuss how to prepare for above three sections so that we can get the best score which can take us to the best B-Schools of the country.
Quantitative Ability :-
> For this section your pre-requisite is the complete understanding of basics of Mathematics.
> You should have proper command on topics like profit and loss, number system, geometry.
> Practice as many as sample papers you can and go for some mock tests as well.
For complete details about preparation of QA section kindly check out the link given below :-
https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/how-prepare-for-cat-quantitative-ability
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension :-
> Reading skill is the pre-requisite for this section, so try to read different English story books, magazines, etc.
> Go through newspapers, journals, blogs, articles, etc to enhance your reading skills and watch some English visuals such as English News, web series, movies and likewise.
> Try solving questions based on comprehension, inferences and para jumbles. You can purchase some booklets for the same from market.
For complete details about preparation of VARC section kindly check out the link given below :-
https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/how-prepare-for-cat-varc
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation :-
> This section seems to be the toughest section in CAT exam, but it is not if you practice a lots of questions on logical reasoning and practice solving different hard core problems so that your problem solving ability will increase, which is the pre-requisite for this section.
> Go through some basic topics like seating arrangements, blood relations, syllogisms, etc to get familiar with this section.
> For complete details about preparation of DI&LR section kindly check out the link given below :-
https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/how-prepare-for-cat-di-lr
For more information kindly check out the link given below :-
https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/cat-preparation-how-prepare-for-cat-without-coaching
I hope this information helps you.
Good Luck!!
I am currently studying in class 12 do I have to give common aptitude test to get admission in central universities for UG courses?
Hi.
No you do not need to give CAT Exam for admission into UG Courses in a government college.
The Common Admission Test is a computer based test for admission in a graduate management program.
The entrance exam for govt. colleges depends upon the course you wish to get enrolled into, such as, if you want to pursue engineering then you need give JEE Mains exam, if you want to pursue medical sciences then you need give NEET Exam and so on.
If you have a further specific query please feel free to comment.
Best of Luck.
News and Articles
CAT 2021 - Exam Date, Registration, Syllab...
CAT 2021 - IIM will conduct the Common Admission Test (CA...
Baby IIMs - Know All About Fee Structure, ...
Baby/New IIMs - Know all about the new IIMs like fee stru...
IIM CAP 2021 - Admission Process (Started)...
IIM CAP 2020 - IIM has begun the CAP 2021 registration pr...
IIM Shortlist 2021 - Check Cut off, Dates,...
IIM Shortlist 2021 - Know all the details about the statu...
CAT Participating Institutes 2020
CAT Participating Institutes 2020 - CAT 2020 scores will ...
CAT Exam Pattern 2021: Sectional and Overa...
CAT Exam Pattern 2021- Know all the details about the CAT...
IIM Ahmedabad Admission Criteria 2021-23: ...
IIM Ahmedabad Admission Criteria 2021-23: has released th...
IIT MBA Admission 2021 - Application Form ...
IIT MBA Admission 2021 - IITs has released MBA applicatio...
CAT Admit Card 2021 - Date, Direct Link, S...
CAT Admit Card 2021 - IIM wil release CAT 2021 Admit Card...